Robert ‘Bob’ Dale Howard – President, Squaw Butte BCH – 2006
Pictures of Bob
Bob passed away in December 2007 after an illness. Bob was born in Stites, Idaho in 1928. Bob was an outfitter and guide for several decades and retired from the Idaho Highway Department. He adored his children and the outdoors, his horses and mules, hunting and riding in the wilderness. Bob was a member of Masonic Kooskia Lodge Number 87 and Past Master. Bob was President of the Boise Angus Club and was on the board for several years. He was also President of Squaw Butte Back Country Horsemen in 2006.
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I Remember Bob
Ellen Knapp, president, SBBCH 2007, 2008
I remember Bob as a big, burley imposing, deep voiced man;
With a HUGE, gentle, generous and giving heart;
With a warm and welcoming smile;
With a wonderful sense of humor.
I remember Bob with tremendous knowledge regarding horses and packing;
With tremendous experience regarding horses and packing;
With a great willingness to share that knowledge unconditionally;
With a great willingness to share without judgment;
With a great willingness to share with us novices;
Patiently.
I remember Bob with an un flitching seat on his horse;
And great confidence in his horse;
Despite the trail crumbling out from under him.
He continues to gives me confidence in my riding.
I remember Bob as a very fair man
He never spoke ill of anyone.
I remember Bob as a wonderful Dutch oven cook;
He fed us fabulous delights.
I remember Bob teaching me
to back splice our ropes
and critiquing, encouragingly, my novice efforts.
I remember Bob teaching me,
patiently,
to mantee a load with elegance and minimal effort;
many times, each time with equal patience.
I remember Bob,
I will never forget Bob,
Bob lives on in me,
for he imbued in me his knowledge,
and made me a better person for my knowing him.
I remember Bob
And I will miss him greatly.
In the summer of 06 Bob asked if I wanted to come up to White Hawk Basin with him and Bob Jr. It was the trip where we hauled in planks for the FS bridge. He knew I wanted to learn about packing and this would be a great opportunity. He was such a great teacher, always providing encouragement.
Anyways we had rode into the basin, had unloaded all the bundles and I was tying up the manties He was sitting their watching me and saying “Jon you are doing a great job”. And then, I remember so clearly, he just looked at me and said in that distinctive voice “you know Jon I have had a great life and you know I wouldn’t change anything about it”.
I never forgot that. Thinking how wonderful it would be to have lived your life and not wish you could have changed something. Never seconding guessing what you had or had not done. Few can say that and I envied him for that. I knew him for so short a time, but in that time he became very special to me. It just won’t be the same.
I remember clearly the first time I rode in the mountains with Bob. It was a June ride in the Payette National Forest to a high mountain basin on the east side of Council peak. I was leading my mustang mare carrying tools and saws. She was inexperienced, my tool
boxes were experimental and let the tools rattle and make other noises. Bob and I rode together and talked throughout the ride. We talked about packing and he made a number of helpful suggestions in a way that never made you feel he was being critical.
Over the years my load building and packing skills have grown significantly all under his friendly mentorship. Bob became our most popular instructor / mentors at our backcountry skills clinic with experience and inexperienced packers coming with the intent of picking his brain on specific packing problems. Bob also lent his expertise to the weeklong mule and packing skills clinic held by BCHI for forest service personal held in the spring of 2007.
Bob was also a very popular camp fire companion. He told wonderful stories of trips and adventure as well as histories of many of the areas we rode. I will miss his gentle cowboy company when I am on the trail and around the campfire, but he will always be with me as long as I practice and pass on the skills and insight that he passed on to me.
One of the first broad grins we can remember is here in Emmett was that of Bob Howard. Last year was our first year as members of SBBCH. We count ourselves as fortunate learning and listening to Bob about mules and life on the trail. As I reflect and think back on the short time, all I can think of is his kind nature in such a wonderful soul. To me, he reminds me of determination to overcome challenge and to enjoy life to its fullest. I’ll miss his kind eyes and laughter. Ill miss hearing his stories about strings of mules. I’ll miss his advice. And, with me Ill take how to be a better person by his example that he lead with. And, Ill think of him often on the trail. To those he leaves behind you are in our prayers and loved dearly.
I thought if he had more time, I would come up and be with him, but that was not to be. Sigh. I am just so incredibly grateful to have had the awesome opportunity to be with this beautiful family and to be a part of it. The stories Bob Sr. had to share some made you laugh and some made you cry because you are laughing so darn hard. This world is a much better place to have known him; and a much sadder place without him. I will hold the laughter, knowledge and friendship he shared so willingly with me forever.
Never and unkind word.
Always a way to complement strengths and ignore weaknesses.
Eager to share his strength, stories, experience and knowledge.
Shy to receive and always grateful.
Tenderness for those who lost something dear.
Enthusiasm for good groceries.
Forever finding the way in the will.
He was our friend.